May 30, 2014

Environmental scientists and synthetic biologists have developed the first list of key research areas to study the potential ecological impacts of synthetic biology, which could create organisms that transcend common evolutionary pathways.

May 30, 2014

Google is exploring what fully self-driving vehicles would look like without a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, or brake pedal. “Our software and sensors do all the work,” says the company.

The early prototypes have sensors that remove blind spots, and can detect objects out to a distance of more than two football fields in all directions, which is especially helpful on busy streets with lots… read more

May 29, 2014

A simple, inexpensive spray method that deposits a graphene film can heal manufacturing defects and produce a high quality graphene layer on a range of substrates, report researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Korea University — an alternative to the chemical vapor deposition process developed by MIT and the University of Michigan for creating large sheets of graphene, recently reported by KurzweilAI.… read more

May 29, 2014

A Harvard-led team is the first to demonstrate the ability to use low-power light to trigger stem cells inside the body to regenerate tissue.

The research, reported in Science Translational Medicine and led by Wyss Institute Core Faculty member David Mooney, Ph.D., lays the foundation for a host of clinical applications in restorative dentistry and regenerative medicine more broadly, such as wound healing, bone regeneration, and more.… read more

May 28, 2014

The new technology now allows researchers to image brain processes taking place in multiple regions and brain networks such as those involved in language processing and self-reflection (daydreaming). DOT was previously limited to small regions of the brain.

May 27, 2014

It’s possible to create brain patterns associated with affection or tenderness toward loved ones, using neurofeedback while being scanned in a functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) machine, researchers at D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR) in Brazil have shown.

The finding, described in PLOS ONE (open access), could open up new possibilities for treatment of conditions such as antisocial personality disorder, the researchers suggest.

May 26, 2014

Low-cost medical and security cameras could be possible in the future thanks to a new multispectral light sensor developed by University of Surrey researchers. The sensor can detect the full spectrum of light, from ultraviolet (UV) to visible and near-infrared light.

“Until now … multiple sensors were required to measure different ranges of the light spectrum, significantly increasing cost,” said lead researcher Richard Curry, PhD. from the… read more

May 25, 2014

How much would it cost to educate all those currently priced out of education? “Realistically, only a drop in the bucket in relation to the billions floating within the higher education industry,” says Shai Reshef, founder and president of University of the People, a free, non-profit, online university.